Chapter 31 - The File That Shouldn't ExistThree days after their evening at the bakery, Marcus called Kalista before sunrise.
"Nadia found the original Project Lighthouse agreement."
Kalista sat upright.
"Where?"
"In archived accounting materials transferred to the independent corporate investigators."
"Have they authenticated it?"
"Not completely. But there's a provision you need to see."
By eight, Kalista was sitting inside a conference room.
Marcus placed the agreement in front of her.
It described how money from several connected entities would finance the acquisition of future development interests.
At first glance, everything looked like an ordinary investment arrangement.
Then Kalista noticed a handwritten amendment.
The investment manager would be entitled to retain certain payments even if the original charitable source was challenged.
She read the sentence twice.
"Why would a legitimate developer need a provision like this?"
Marcus looked grim.
"That's the question."
Nadia turned to another page.
"The same clause appears in two earlier drafts. And look at who requested it."
An email from Celeste's office.
The message referred to concerns about the source of funds connected to Havenbridge.
Kalista felt her pulse quicken.
"She knew there might be a problem."
"She knew questions had been raised," Marcus corrected. "We still need to establish what she actually understood."
Kalista nodded.
No assumptions.
No shortcuts.
That afternoon, Marcus transmitted the documents to the authorized investigators and Tessa's legal team.
By evening, Celeste's attorneys had requested an urgent meeting.
Kalista declined.
Then her phone rang.
Celeste.
"You've been very busy," the older woman said.
"So have you."
"I hope you understand what you're doing."
"I'm reading documents."
"You're threatening an investment structure that supports hundreds of jobs."
Kalista stared out at the city.
"Then perhaps you should have paid more attention to where the money came from."
Celeste went silent.
A second later, she hung up.
May you like
Kalista placed the phone down.
For the first time, the woman who had warned her about danger sounded afraid.
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